Automatic carrier for electric wires.



BEST AVAiLABLE COP No. 798,602. PATENTEDV SEPT. 5, 1905.

F. E. DETGHON.

AUTOMATIC CARRIER FOR ELECTRIC WIRES. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4, 1904.

fiarzizlekfiom lavenwr Htkomegs low. a. c. mama. I fluum c0. mwurmumvusum seer AVAILABLE COP T I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC.

FRANK E. DETOHO-N, OF DELTA, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC CARRIER FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1

Application filed August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,526.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. DETCHON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Delta, in the county of Delta and State of Colorado, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Carrier for Electric Wires, of whichthe following is a specification. I

This invention relates to devices employed in the stringing oftelephone, telegraph, and other wires or cables between buildings,poles,- and other supports where an aerial conductor is usually firststretched between the two points of support and forms a base or supportfor the carrying of the wires or cables.

The principal object of the invention is to providea smallself-propelling carriage which may be mounted on the aerial conductorand may be used to carry wires from one support to another withoutdanger of overturning.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this classin which the traction wheel or wheels will be held firmly to thesupporting wire or cable, so as to avoid danger of slipping when thecarrier is traveling upgrade. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved casingfor all of the working partsof the carrier, so that the mechanism of thelatter will not be injured by contact with the branches of trees orother obstructions.

A still further object of the invention'is to provide a carrier of suchconstruction as to prevent falling of the carrier from the overheadsupport incase of derailment.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully ,described, illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, it being understood that vari ous changes in the form,proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionalelevationof a wirecarrier constructed in accordance with the invention.Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line a a of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the carrier on the line bb of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the Iillustrating the flap-locking device.

Similar characters of reference are e ployed to indicate correspondingP3528 throughout the several figures of the draw-. ings.

The main portion of the supportingf of the carrier includes longitudinalbars and 3, the bars 1 and 2 at one side of the i rier being united byvertical bars 4, and bars 2 and 3, which form the lower portii theframe, being united by a series of t1 verse bars 5, 6, and 7.. Inaddition to the frame is in part formed of a casir which incloses all ofthe working parts prevents injury to the mechanism from tact with treebranches and other 0%,, tions; This casing is formed, preferal; ,1.sheet metal andis tapered at its froi-.enc and, if necessary, at itsrear end. The central portion of one side of the casing is open for itsentire length, forming a longitudinal slot 9 to permit the carrier to bereadily inserted on the overhead support a. This slot is closed by aflap or door 10, the upper edge of which may be secured to the upperpor-i tion of the casing in any suitablemanner, as

by the formation of interfitting tongues 11 on the adjacent edges of theflap or cover,;'

these tongues being provided with openings. for the passage of a wire orrod 12, which when forced, in place serves to firmly lock the fl 'a? inposition and hold the parts of the'casim together and at the same timeforms a con. plete casing around the overhead support, so that in caseof derailment it will be impossi ble for the carrier to fall to theground.

In the'upper bar 1 of the frame and-in the casing at a point oppositesaid bar areformed bearings for the support of transversely-dis; posedshafts 15,0n which are mounted'groovedi wheels 16, that are placed onthe overhead; support a, and the grooves may be lined with: rubber,leather, or other suitable material in:

Y order to increase the tractive force and avoid j danger of slippingwhen the carrier is ascending grades. To the shaft of one of the wheels16 is secured a pinion 17, which intermeshes with a gear 18, formed onor carried by a spring-barrel 19, that is carried by ashaft or arbor 20,also having hearings in the frame and casing. In thespring-barrel isapropelling-spring 21, which is wound by the operator before the-carrieris placed on the sup- BEST AVAlLABLE COP .the purpose of governing thespeed rier the gear 18 is connected by a ears 22 to an arbor 23,carrying a .y 24, which will regulate the speed the carrier travels. bar6 of the lower portion of the .i pivoted two arms 25, connected at.nter'mediate of their length by a cross- These bars are provided withbear- :nings for the reception of a small 27, on which is mounted aroller 28,

adapted to engage the under side of the overh 'ad support a at a pointbetween the two grooved wheels 16, and said roller 28 is held up incontact with the support by means of a .sriring 30, one end of which issecured to the 7; and the opposite end of said spring passing over thebar 6 is placed under cross-bar 26, the stress of the spring beufficientto maintain the carrying-wheels igagement with the support a with suffiaforce to enable the carrier to ascend es without slipping. ie lower rearportion of the frame mem- 12 and 3 serves as supports for a reel 30,'rhich a wire, cord, or cable may be wound ycarried bodily from onepoint to anthe, or the arrangement may be such that me Uhd of,the wire,cord, or cable is secured ,0 one support and is gradually unwound iromthe reel as the carrier progresses. The reel is connected by gearing toa shaft 33, having at one end a crank 31 and provided with a spring 34,one end of which is connected to a pin 35, the spring serving to turnthe reel in winding up the cableand being in part rewoundas the cable ispaid up, so as to hold said cable or wire under tension. This springinust of course be weaker than the propelling- 7 spring.

locked and the carrier is started, being propelled, by the unwinding ofthe spring, to the iistant building or pole, at which point asecbnd'operator will remove the end of the wire from the reel and secureit in place and then return the carrier after rewinding for a secandwire.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 is claimed is 1. A wheeledcarrier arranged to travel on an overhead support, a casing whollylnclosing the wheels and movable parts of'the carrier, said casinghaving a longitudinally-disposed slot for the admission of the support,and a hinged flap or door forming a part of the casing and serving toclose said slot.

2. A wheeled carrier adapted to travel on an overhead support, acarrier-casing wholly inclosing all of the movable parts of saidcarrier, and tapering at its forward end in the direction of saidsupport, the casing being provided with a longitudinal slot for theadmission of the support, and a hinged closingflap forming a part ofsaid casing and adapted to close the slot.

3. lnadeviceoftheclassspecilied,aframe,a plurality of supporting-wheelscarried thereby and adapted to travel on an elevated support, means forimparting movement to one of said wheels thereby to propel the carrier,a spring-pressed operating-roller arranged to engage the support at apoint between said wheels, and an inclosing casing within which all ofthe movable parts of the device are disposed.

4. The combination with'a spring-propelled wheeled carrier arranged totravel on an overhead support, and provided with a slotted cas ing forthe admission of the supp0rt,.means for governing the speed of travel ofthe carrier, and a spring-wound wire-carrying reel supported by saidcarrier.

. 5.- The combination with a wheeled carrier arranged to travel on anoverhead support and provided with a slotted casing, of a motorspringfor propelling the carrier, a wire-carrying reel, and a winding-springfor the reel, said winding-spring being of less strength than themotor-spring.

6. The combination with a frame, of carrying-wheels journaled therein, aspring-wound reel also supported by the frame, a motorspring forpropelling the frame, and acasing inclosing the whole'of the frame,wheels, and reel, said casing having a tapered forward end and beingprovided at one side with a slot for admitting an overhead support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I. M. MCMURRAY, W. J. GAUNT.

